blancw@pylon.com writes (in private mail):

than can present law enforcement systems. My next post will examine the similarities between tribal and cyberspatial society. ........................................................

I don't know yet what you are going to say about the similarities between tribal & cyberspatial societies, but one

I guessed as much ;)

same category. The associations which occur in cyberspace are not like the ones which occur in the physical plane. The expectations are different - you don't expect to live with these other people in close proximity, you don't expect to identify with them as a group in the same way, you are not going to get the same benefits on a daily basis or even an extended time period, as you might from those with whom you interact on more than one level or kind of contact. I personally don't see interactions in cyberspace as constituting a 'society', even if they are 'social'.

Maybe a drive-by society.

Well, as I put it, the primary characteristic of tribe (versus city) has been portrayed as _physical_ proximity. I would say the more relevant characteristic is _mental_ proximity, or _social_ proximity, if you accept my classification of tribes and cyberspace as 'communication societies'. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rishab Aiyer Ghosh "Clean the air! clean the sky! wash the wind! rishab@dxm.ernet.in take stone from stone and wash them..." Voice/Fax/Data +91 11 6853410 Voicemail +91 11 3760335 H 34C Saket, New Delhi 110017, INDIA